Thread supply device for textile machines

ABSTRACT

A circular track with a freely running thread guide is provided outside the free end of a stationary winding core. The running guide is pulled around the track by the pull of the unwinding thread and prevents the tension of the thread from being affected by the intermittent operation of the winding eye mechanism mounted inside the track on the free end of the winding core. The latter supplies additional turns as needed to the winding, which provides a certain thread storage between a primary supply and a textile machine.

limited States Patent [191 Fecker THREAD SUPPLY DEVICE FOR TEXTILE MACHINES Inventor: Josef Fecker, Bisingen-Steinhofen,

Germany v Assignee: Firma Gustav Memminger Verfahrenstechnik fur die Maschenindustrie, Freudenstadt,

Germany Filed: Dec. 18, 1972 Appl. No.: 316,032

Foreign Application Priority Data Dec. 23, 1971 Germany 2164095 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l972 Frei 242/47.l2 X

A circular track with a freely running thread guide is 1451 .July, 9,1974

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,288,229 l/l969 Germany 242/47.l2 1,942,062 3/ 197 l Germany 242/47. 1 2 1,285,954 l/l962 France 242/47.0l

Primary Examiner-John W. l-Iuckert Assistant Examiner-Milton S. Gerstein I Attorney, Agent, 0rFirm-Flynn & Frishauf ABSTRACT provided outside the free end of a stationary winding core. The running guide is pulled around the track by the pull of the unwinding thread and prevents the tension of the thread from being affected by the intermittent operation of the winding eye mechanism mounted inside the track on the free end of the winding core. The latter supplies additional turns as needed to the winding, which provides a certain thread storage between a primary supply and a textile machine.

9 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures V 2r, 5 2. s

THREAD SUPPLY DEVICE FOR TEXTILE t MACHINES This invention relates to a thread supply device for textile machines having a fixed winding core from which the thread is unwound over the free end of the core. More particularly the invention relates to thread supply devices in which the winding on the fixed core can, while it is being unwound to supply the textile machine, be wound at the same time with a thread wound on the free end of the core by a winding eye driven around the periphery of the core by a shaft arranged coaxially with respect to the core. Means are provided to prevent the winding on the core from exceeding a predetermined size by temporarily arresting the motion of the winding eye. Such a thread sypply device prevents irregularities in the unwinding of the thread from the primary supply from affecting the input of the textile machine and prevents irregularities in the demand for thread of the textile machine from disturbing the unwinding of the primary supply of thread, so that the device is both a storage and a delivery device.

Thread supply devices of this type, so-called storagefournisseurs, with a fixed winding core are known in several forms of construction, for example the forms shown in German Offenlegungsschrift No. 1,928,040. In such known thread supply devices, the thread com ing from the reel, spool or cop or cone serving as the primary supply is fed axially through the winding core and then led radially to the winding eye which winds the thread on the core, while the unwinding thread is pulled off axially through an eye some distance beyond the free end of the winding core under conditions in which a socalled thread baloon formed by the unwinding thread as the turns are pulled off.

In order to prevent the unwinding thread from becoming entangled in the rotating winding eye, the winding eye mechanism includes an outer circular rim with a rounded contour which revolves with the winding eye just outside its path, so that the unwinding thread is pulled off over this revolving rim. In practice this arrangement has-been found to cause tension variations in the unwinding thread because of the intermittent operation of the winding eye. The friction conditions when the winding eye and its associated rim are at rest are different from those that exist when the winding eye and its rim are rotating in order to build up the buffer winding.

It is an object of this invention to improve thread supply devices of the kind above mentioned in such a way that a trouble-free unwinding of thread may be accomplished and tension variations in the unwinding thread may be avoided.

Subject matter of the present invention allowing the thread to be pulled freely past.

The funning thread guide may advantageously be mounted slidably on the ring track fixed inposition about the free end of the winding core and the running 2 guide or rider may have the form of the corresponding element used for spinning or twisting operations. I

In the thread supply device of this invention theunwinding thread pulls the running guide with it and propells it around its endless path. By this pulling around of the running guide, forces are applied to the thread which provide an even tension to the thread that would otherwise unwind without tension from the winding core and the magnitude of this tension is essentially determined by the weight of the running guide. Since the unwinding thread is held away from the rim of the winding eye mechanism that intermittently runs and stops, there is no possibility of the tension or of the unwinding being affected by the intermittent turning of the winding rim. There is also no risk of impairment of the braking effect on the thread by accumulation of dirt and grease as sometimes occurs by disc type brakes and the like that are used to provide tension, because the movement of air produced by the pulling around of the running guide does not allow the collection of a dust or dirt layer.

Because of the fact that the thread tension is determined essentially by the weight of the running guide, it is possible to operate a textile machine with multiple working positions with the same thread tension at all positions, by providing running guides of the same weight on each of the thread supply devices according to this invention.

In order to reduce or avoid the risk of excessive canting of the running thread guide, it may be helpful in particular cases to use a slider comprising two engaging guide portions connected and spaced apart by a crosstie strip or rod. The two guide portions make sure that the running guide is always supported at two spaced positions on the ring track so that a wobbling movement is prevented.

The device can advantageously be so arranged that the unwinding thread is led between the running guide and the inner side of the ring track and passes from thereto a forward eye arranged at a point on the extended axis direction of the winding core. Centrifugal force will then press the unwinding thread against the inner surface of the, ring track, so that an additional friction-determined braking force is applied to the unwinding thread. At the sametime the thread balloon, which the unwinding thread normally forms, is limited in extend by the ring track in this type of thread supply device. This effect is particularly advantageous in cases in which it is desired to prevent the formation of a larger thread balloon, as is the case particularly when very heavy yarns and/or highly elastic rubber other elastomer yarns are used. Such yarns in fact produce highly irregular balloons, an effect which is magnified in the case of known storage fournisseurs by the baffle effect of the loop or disc thread brakes used in such devices which are arranged below the winding core The circumstance that the unwinding thread is caused by the running guide to pass in brushing contact directly against a surface of the ring track can be put to use for the purpose of applying a conditioning material to the unwinding filament. For this purpose it is effective to provide a channel groove on the surface of the ring track against which the unwinding thread passes, with an inlet conduit connecting to a supply arrangement for furnishing a fluid conditioning material at a suitable rate to the channel groove. Instead of a fluid for conditioning the strength, flexibility, surface friction, or other such properties of the fiber, the visible characteristicsof the thread may also be modified in this manner, as by applying a dye to the channel groove with which the thread will then be partly dyed.

It is theoretically possible to supply a plurality of thread from a single winding core to several separate operating positions by means of a thread supply device with a fixed winding core. In practice this concept has not been realizable with thread supply devices of this type heretofore known because the individual operation positions may pull their threads with differing velocities, which results in pulling one thread completely off the winding core while the buffer windings of the other threads still have a certain size. The thread completely pulled off then breaks. In contrast to this difficulty, the thread supply device of this invention can be so arranged that two or more mutually parallel threads may be pulled off at the same time from the winding core through the running guide. The running guide in fact produces a common pulling force through the threads wound together on the winding core. If the consumption of thread at one of the operation positions should not proceed evenly, while it lags the corresponding thread will merely run into the machine at lower tension. The running thread guide, which holds together and leads all the unwinding threads, tends to prevent a change in the relative quantities of thread taken off. In this fashion even defects in the product, which may arise as the result of inaccurate machine adjustments, for example in the case of knitting machines, can be automatically smoothed out by differences in thread tension.

The concept of this invention is fundamentally applicable to thread supply devices of the kinds previously mentioned used for all sorts of thread yarn and fila- FIG. 1 is a side view in axial section of a thread supply device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is one form of free running thread guide for the thread supply device of FIG. 1, shown in perspective and on a different scale, and

FIG. 3 shows a thread supply device in accordance with the invention for unwinding yarn from fixed spools, in side view and axial section, with the spool shown unsectioned.

The thread supply device shown in FIG. 1 has a housing member 1 firmly fixed on a textile machine not shown in the drawing. The housing member 1 carries a winding core 2 affixed to it in stationary position, i.e., it is not arranged to rotate. The winding core 2 formed of a number of mutually parallel carrier rods 3 arranged in circular symmetry. The rods 3 are anchored at one end 4 in the housing 1 and at the other end they carry a stationary stiff end disc 5 in which their ends are embedded.

The end disc 5 has a central bore 6 providing a bearing for the hollow shaft 7 which revolves in the interior of the winding core 2. A reduced portion 8 of the shaft 7 is rotatably held in the bearing 6. The hollow shaft 7 is also mounted rotatably in a bearing 9 provided in the housing 1 and a portion 10 of the shaft extending beyond the housing has a drive pully 11 fixed onto the shaft.

The hollow shaft 7 is provided with two eccentric journals 12 and 13, the axis of which is inclined obliquely to the axis of rotation of the shaft 7 at a particular angle. An elastic disc 15 held in a non-rotating manner is mounted by means of a ball bearing 14 on the eccentric journal 13. The advancing rods 16 disposed in the intervals between the fixed rods 3, are held at one end in the disc 15. At their other ends the advancing rods 16 are held in a second elastic disc 17, which is mounted by a friction-bearing 18 on the eccentric journal 12. These parts are so arranged that when the hollow shaft 7 is driven, a tumbling or wobbling movement is imparted to the advancing rods 16 in the course of which each of the advancing rods in turn protrudes outwards between adjacent fixed rods 3.

The hollow shaft 7 is fixedly connected to a rotor disc 19 at its extremity. The rotor disc 19 is located below the fixed end disc 5 of the winding core 2 and carries the winding eye20 at one position near its periphery, just inside its peripheral rim 21. Spaced from the rim 21 and thus outside the path of movement of the winding eye 20 is located a ring track 22 which is essentially T-shaped in cross section and is held stationary in position by means of the bracket 23 affixed to the housing 1. The ring track 22 provides a circular endless path for a running thread guide 24 having the form of a rider, such as is used on ring type spinning machines. The running guide 24 rides freely on the ring track 22.

The thread supply device so far described operates as follows:

The thread 25 coming from a spool, not shown in the drawing, runs through the longitudinal bore 26 in the hollow shaft 7, thus passing through the inside of the winding core 2. After coming out of the bore 26, the thread 25 passes over to and then through the winding eye 20. The shaft 7 and the winding eye 20 are caused to revolve by a drive not shown in the drawing operating on the drive pulley 11. When the winding eye revolves, it winds the thread by laying down one turn next to another over the carrier rods 3 which form the effective surface of the winding core 2. These turns wound next to each other form a storage winding 27 which is subjected during winding to an upwardly directed component of force by means of the tumbling or wobbling movement of the advancing rods 16 which advances the turns of the winding away from the winding eye 20. In addition to the possibility of unwinding a single thread as just described, it is also possible to supply two or more separate operating positions with different thread at the same time from the same winding core 2. This is shown in FIG. 1 for the case of three threads A, B and C, collectively designated 25 where they run very closely together. They are simultaneously wound on the winding core 2 by means of the winding eye 20, so that the storage winding 27 consists of adjacent turns of each of the individual threads. The threads are then lead from the storage winding 27 together through the running guide 24 and pulled through the thread eye 28, from which they run to the individual operating positions. The running thread guide 24 assures that the 5. threads will always be pulled from the buffer winding 27 in the same quantity and at the same rate, so that trouble-free operation of the thread supply device is obtained.

Inside the winding core 2 a sensing device not shown in the drawing is provided which shuts off the drive of the hollow shaft 7 whern a maximum length of the storage winding 27 is reached, so that a further accumulation of winding turns on the winding core 2 is interrupted. The thread 25 is pulled off at the top end of the storage winding 27 in such a way as to pull the thread over the free end of the winding core 2. As it is pulled off the thread passes through the running thread guide 24 which keeps the thread beyond and clear from the rim 21, as'is apparent from FIG. 1, and thus brings it clear past the path of the winding eye over to athread guiding eye 28 situated on an extension of the axis of rotation of the hollow shaft 7 some distance beyond the free end of the winding core 2. The eye 28, which may be referred bo as the winding core 2. The eye 28, which may be referred to as the forward eye in view of its position in the path of the thread, is mounted by means of an arm or bracket 29 on the stationary housing 1. The thread proceeds from the forward eye 28 to the operation position of the textile machine, not shown in the drawing.

The threading running off through the eye 28 pulls the running thread guide 24 with it, so that the latter runs around the ring track 22. Since the thread is given a certain amount of guiding and holding between the running guide 24 and the ring track 22, the falling off of turns of the storage winding 27 as the result of the weight of the thread and/or of the effect of air currents or the like is effectivelyprevented. As soon as the storage winding 27 reaches a certain minimum length as the result of unwinding, a drive for the hollowshaft 7 is again activated by means of the previously mentioned sensing device not shown in the drawing, so that the winding eye 20 is again set in revolution and the buffer winding 27 is again built up until it reaches its maximum length, when the drive of the hollow shaft 7 is again arrested.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1

the thread 25 pulled off the winding core .runs between the running guide 24 and the inner surface of the ring track 22. As a result a limit of the lateral extend of the thread balloon formed by the unwinding thread is obtained, while at the same time the thread is pressed against the inner side of the ring track 22 as the result of centrifugal force, which has a favorable effect on the thread tension. Other embodiments are nevertheless conceiveable in which the unwinding thread would be led over the outer side of the ring track 22 through the running thread guide 24.

In order to apply a conditioning of finishing material to the unwinding thread 25, a channel groove 30 is provided on the inner surface of the ring track 22, supplied with a fluid thread conditioning or finishing material through a conduit shown at 31 which is connected to a conditioning or finishing material supply indicated at 32. As the-thread is led along the inner surface of the ring track 22 by the running guide 24, it is thus continually wetted by the fluid conditioning or finishing material held in the channel groove 30.

Although in the thread supply device shownin FIG. I the running guide 24 is provided in the form of a simple basically C-shaped rod or strap, the form 24a of running guideshown in FIG. 2 may also be used in this thread supply device. The running guide 240 has two guide portions 241 of essentially C-shaped construction connected and spaced by a yoke or cross-tie 240. The guide portions 241 engage the ring track 22 in a manner similar to the operation of the running guide 24 of FIG. 1, but because a spacing is maintained between them, the canting of the running guide 24a is completely prevented.

The present thread supply device is basically applicable to all kinds of thread or yarn using textile machines, such as flat knitting machines, circular knitting machines, weaving machines and the like. In modified form it is also applicable to the supply of thread or yarn pulled off from a stationary spool or from a stationary cop or cone, as shown in FIG. 3.

Instead of the stationary winding core 2 of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, a stationary fixed spool is shown in FIG. 3 from which the thread 25 is to be unwound over the free end of the spool. For this purpose a ring track 22 is arranged coaxially with the spool axis above the free end of the spool, held stationary by the bracket 23a to a stationary frame member 51 which carries the spool 50. An essentially C-shaped running thread guide 24 is mounted so as to slide freely on the ring track 22. The thread 25 unwinding from the spool 50 runs between the running guide 24 and the inner surface of the ring track 22 and passes from there to a thread guide 52 situated on an extension of the axis of the spool 50 on its .free end, from which the thread is led to the operating position of the textile machine. When the thread is pulled, the running thread guide 24 is dragged along the endless'circular path formed by the ring track 22, so that an orderly and regulated unwinding results and any twisting or tangling of the thread or falling off of individual turns is prevented.

Although the invention has been described in connection with particular illustrative embodiments, .it will be understood that variations and modifications may be made within the inventive concept without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A thread supply device for textile machines for delivering thread unwound endwise from a fixed winding core (2,5011) comprising:

a closed path track (22) having an inner opening greater than the maximum girth of said core and everything held on its winding space and free end and fixedly mounted coaxially adjacent to the free end of said core;

running guide means (24) for guiding thread from said core out of further contact with said core in a revolving path spaced from said track and passing inside of said track, said running guide means being movably mounted to run freely on said track and adapted to by pulled around said track by thread 25) passing through said running guide means while being pulled axially away from said core, and

an axial channel (26) through said core for supply of thread to be wound on said core;

a rotary winding head (19,20) having a winding eye (20) adapted to be propelled around the periphery of said core at its free end and driving means for said winding head for winding onto said core thread supplied through said axial channel;

winding advance means (7,12,13,16...) associated with said core for advancing turns of thread wound on said core by said winding head axially away from said free end of said core, and

means for interrupting the winding of thread on said core by said winding head after the winding produced as aforesaid reaches a predetermined maximum size until, as a result of unwinding as aforesaid, it thereafter reaches a predetermined minimum size;

and in which, further, said closed path track has an enclosed opening of sufficient size for said running thread guide to lead thread being unwound from said core well clear of said winding head as well as of said track.

3. A thread supply device as defined in claim 2 in which said track is a circular ring track, in which also said running guide means is loosely mounted slidably thereon and in which the unwinding thread passes between said running guide means and the inner side of said ring track and thereafter through an eye located on said forward fixed thread guide.

4. A thread supply device as defined in claim 1 in which said track is a circular ring track and in which said running guide means is loosely mounted slidably thereon and has the basic form used for circulating runners in spinning or twisting machines.

5. A thread supply device as defined in claim 4 in which said running guide means (24a) is composed of two guiding portions (241) loosely engaged on said track (22) connected and spaced apart by a cross-tie (240).

6 A thread supply device as defined in claim in which the inner side of said ring shaped track (22) has a channel groove (30) and means for supplying to said groove a thread conditioning material, such that said material may be applied to said unwinding thread.

7. A thread supply device as defined in claim 3 in which the inner side of said circular ring track (22) has a groove channel (30) and means associated therewith for supplying fluid dye to said channel, so that said unwinding thread may be dyed thereby.

8. A thread supply device as defined in claim 1 in which said running guide means (24) is arranged to guide a plurality of threads for delivery on a parallel path being pulled off said winding core.

9. A thread supply device for textile machines for delivering thread unwound endwise from a fixed storage winding core (2) comprising:

a rotary winding head (19,20) having a winding eye (20) adapted to be propelled around the periphery of said core at the free end of said core;

driving means for said rotary head including at least a shaft (7) rotatably mounted inside said core;

a bore (26) through the length of said shaft for supplying thread to said winding eye;

eccentrically driven means for advancing turns of thread wound on said core by said winding eye away from said free end of said core;

means associated with said core for interrupting the winding of thread on said core by said rotary head and said winding eye when the winding of thread on said core reaches a first predetermined length until it thereafter is reduced to a second predetermined length;

a ring track (22) surrounding and fully clearing the path of said rotary winding head and coaxially mounted in fixed relation to said core at its free end, and

free-running thread guide means (24) on said ring track for leading thread being unwound from said core by a pull away from said core in an axial direction in a revolving path that is always clear of said rotary winding head as well as of said track. 

1. A thread supply device for textile machines for delivering thread unwound endwise from a fixed winding core (2,50a) comprising: a closed path track (22) having an inner opening greater than the maximum girth of said core and everything held on its winding space and free end and fixedly mounted coaxially adjacent to the free end of said core; running guide means (24) for guiding thread from said core out of further contact with said core in a revolving path spaced from said track and passing inside of said track, said running guide means being movably mounted to run freely on said track and adapted to by pulled around said track by thread (25) passing through said running guide means while being pulled axially away from said core, and a forward fixed thread guide (28,52) disposed on or near the axis of said core at a substantial distance beyond the free end thereof.
 2. A thread supply device as defined in claim 1 comprising also: an axial channel (26) through said core for supply of thread to be wound on said core; a rotary winding head (19,20) having a winding eye (20) adapted to be propelled around the periphery of said core at its free end and driving means for said winding head for winding onto said core thread supplied through said axial channel; winding advance means (7,12,13,16...) associated with said core for advancing turns of thread wound on said core by said winding head axially away from said free end of said core, and means for interrupting the winding of thread on said core by said winding head after the winding produced as aforesaid reaches a predetermined maximum size until, as a result of unwinding as aforesaid, it thereafter reaches a predetermined minimum size; and in which, further, said closed path track has an enclosed opening of sufficient size for said running thread guide to lead thread being unwound from said core well clear of said winding head as well as of said track.
 3. A thread supply device as defined in claim 2 in which said track is a circular ring track, in which also said running guide means is loosely mounted slidably thereon and in which the unwinding thread passes between said running guide means and the inner side of said ring track and thereafter through an eye located on said forward fixed thread guide.
 4. A thread supply device as defined in claim 1 in which said track is a circular ring track and in which said running guide means is loosely mounted slidably thereon and has the basic form used for circulating runners in spinning or twisting machines.
 5. A thread supply device as defined in claim 4 in which said running guide means (24a) is composed of two guiding portions (241) loosely engaged on said track (22) connected and spaced apart by a cross-tie (240). 6 A thread supply device as defined in claim 5 in which the inner side of said ring shaped track (22) has a channel groove (30) and means for supplying to said groove a thread conditioning material, such that said material may be applied to said unwinding thread.
 7. A thread supply device as defined in claim 3 in which the inner side of said circular ring track (22) has a groove channel (30) and means associated therewith for supplying fluid dye to said channel, so that said unwinding thread may be dyed thereby.
 8. A thread supply device as defined in claim 1 in which said running guide means (24) is arranged to guide a plurality of threads for delivery on a parallel path being pulled off said winding core.
 9. A thread supply device for textile machines for delivering thread unwound endwise from a fixed storage winding core (2) comprising: a rotary winding head (19,20) having a winding eye (20) adapted to be propelled around the periphery of said core at the free end of said core; driving means for said rotary head including at least a shaft (7) rotatably mounted inside said core; a bore (26) through the length of said shaft for supplying thread to said winding eye; eccentrically driven means for advancing turns of thread wound on said core by said winding eye away from said free end of said core; means associated with said core for interrupting the winding of thread on said core by said rotary head and said winding eye when the winding of thread on said core reaches a first predetermined length until it thereafter is reduced to a second predetermined length; a ring track (22) surrounding and fully clearing the path of said rotary winding head and coaxially mounted in fixed relation to said core at its free end, and free-running thread guide means (24) on said ring track for leading thread being unwound from said core by a pull away from said core in an axial direction in a revolving path that is always clear of said rotary winding head as well as of said track. 